Should you import an R32 GTR now or wait for the 25 Year Rule ?

If you want to import an R32 GTR our suggestion would be to BUY NOW.

Why? Well, there are several very good reasons…

Firstly, R32 GTR prices have jumped in the last couple of years thanks to a greater focus worldwide on classic cars together with the USA’s 25 year rule.

The US has been desperate for Japanese imports even before the hype of the Fast and Furious franchise, but now Americans are able to legally import any 25 year and older vehicles directly from Japan it’s suddenly easy for them to import an R32 GTR, and they are putting their strong exchange rate to work.

We feel this is the main reason for the sudden price increase for many older vehicles over the last couple of years. Given that US buyers are buying up to 12 months ahead of eligibility and have much greater buying power than most other countries, it’s no wonder prices in Japan have been soaring for all popular older makes and models, including the R32 GTR.

Neither should we ignore the impact of Canadian demand on prices of R32 GTR’s due to their own 15 Year Rule.

Secondly, Australia’s 25 year rule is (best guess) 18 months away from actually being available for use. Wait another 18 months and see where prices have got to on 1992 model GTR’s… They’ve already jumped $10,000 over the last 12 months so another $10,000 to $15,000 more by late 2017 on some of the best R32 GTR’s would not be surprising.

SEVS compliance on the other hand (if you use the current rules to import an R32 GTR right now before an American gets their hands on it) is only in the $2,000 to $2,400 range plus tyres for most States. So you can see even if the exchange rate moves 10% in our favour over that time, you’d still be way better off buying now.

Thirdly, with prices still rising and good quality, low km, unmodified R32 GTR’s becoming harder to find daily, this model which is now 22 to 27 years old offers great classic car investment potential.

Let’s face it though, the R32 GTR and other classic GTR’s are all but finished as daily drivers.

We can confirm that many people currently want to import an R32 GTR as we get daily enquiries. So if you’re one of them, we recommend you don’t wait too long before the original Godzilla is out of reach for good.

That low number also provides an idea of how few clean R32 GTR’s are still available through all the major auctions across Japan (less than 100 per year), considering also that despite their grading, some of these examples may still not be of a sufficient standard for import.